Assemblage of pieces of a metal frame

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns the assemblage of the elements of a dismountable metal frame, and more particularly a mast, such as a crane tower which has to be raised by successive superimposed elements or, on the contrary, dismounted. The assemblage devices must be designed in such a manner as to permit the transmission of the components of the stresses in several directions, that is to say in a mast the longitudinal stresses exerted on the uprights placed in prolongation of one another, and the transverse stresses, transmitted more particularly by the cross-braces and resulting from shearing stresses and torques. The assemblage device according to the invention comprises the combination of parts generally provided with connecting bolts, which receive the longitudinal stresses, and other parts, distinct from the preceding parts, intended for transmitting the transverse stresses, and preferably also for connecting the cross-braces to the uprights, these means projecting with respect to the surface of the joint on each of the pieces to be assembled, externally but tangentially to the perimeter of the said surface.

United States Patent [191 Metailler [11] 3,877,192 Apr. 15, 1975ASSEMBLAGE OF PIECES or A METAL FRAME 21 Appl. No.: 360,585

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 16, 1972 France 72.17427 [52]U.S. Cl 52/638; 52/726 [51] Int. Cl E04k 12/00 [58] Field of Search52/637, 638, 726, 758 R, 52/752; 182/178; 403/337 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 712,299 10/1902 Howland et a] 52/301 1,941,952l/l934 Nickles 52/638 X 2,086,009 7/1937 Walker 52/301 X 2,194,8103/1940 Reines 52/637 X 2,308,565 l/1943 Mitchell.... 52/637 X 2,404,2767/1946 Cohen 52/638 3,245,188 4/1966 Evans 52/638 3,564,802 2/1971Dreyfus 52/637 Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott Assistant ExaminerCarlD. Friedman Attorney, Agent, or FirmStaas & Halsey [57] ABSTRACT Thepresent invention concerns the assemblage of the elements of adismountable metal frame, and more particularly a mast, such as a cranetower which has to be raised by successive superimposed elements or, onthe contrary, dismounted.

The assemblage devices must be designed in such a manner as to permitthe transmission of the components of the stresses in severaldirections, that is to say in a mast the longitudinal stresses exertedon the uprights placed in prolongation of one another, and thetransverse stresses, transmitted more particularly by the cross-bracesand resulting from shearing stresses and torques.

The assemblage device according to the invention comprises thecombination of parts generally provided with connecting bolts, whichreceive the longitudinal stresses, and other parts, distinct from thepreceding parts, intended for transmitting the transverse stresses, andpreferably also for connecting the cross-braces to the uprights, thesemeans projecting with respect to the surface of the joint on each of thepieces to be assembled, externally but tangentially to the perimeter ofthe said surface.

9 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures 1 ASSEMBLAGE OF PIECES OF A METAL FRAMEBACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention concernsthe assemblage of the elements of a dismountable metal frame, and moreparticularly a mast, such as a crane tower which has to be raised bysuccessive superimposed elements or, on the contrary, dismounted.

The assemblage devices must be designed in such a manner as to permitthe transmission of the compo nents of the stresses in severaldirections, that is to say in a mast the longitudinal stresses exertedon the principal members or the uprights placed in prolongation of oneanother, and the transverse stresses, transmitted more particularly bythe cross-braces and resulting from shearing stresses and torques.

The assemblage device according to the invention comprises thecombination of parts generally provided with connecting bolts, whichreceive the longitudinal stresses, and other parts, distinct from thepreceding parts, intended for transmitting the transverse stresses, andpreferably also for connecting the cross-braces to the uprights, thesemeans projecting with respect to the surface of the joint on each of thepieces to be assembled, externally but tangentially to the perimeter ofthe said surface.

In this way, various advantages are secured such as, for example, thatof ensuring automatic guiding for the assemblage of the lower and uppermembers, and that of being able to vary, without expensive arrangements,the sections of the assembled elements by simply providing at one of theends of the pieces to be assembled a supporting plate for the juxtaposedpiece.

The invention covers metal frameworks, in particular masts or towerscomprising elements assembled by the device concerned.

Other features of the invention will appear from the followingdescription with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way ofnon-restrictive examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings relate to theconstruction of a mast, such as that of a tower crane, to whichconstruction the invention is very advantageously applied.

FIG. I is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the upper end of amast element and the lower end of one of the members of the elementabove.

FIG. 2 shows in perspective on a larger scale the upper end of a memberof an element and the lower end of the corresponding member of theelement above.

FIG. 3 is a view in horizontal projection of the upper end of a memberof an element.

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation corresponding to FIG. 3

regarded in the direction of the arrow F, and shows the modification.

. FIGS. 10 and 11 show, in elevation and plan, an assemblage device forthe panels of a mast element in application of the invention.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show on a larger scale, in elevation and in horizontalprojection, the detail of the assemblage device before connection of itstwo portions.

FIGS. 14, I5 and 16 correspond respectively to FIGS. 10, I1 and I2 andconcern a modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. I shows in perspective theupper end of the four vertical uprights or members of a metal mastelement of square section, and the lower end of one only of the fouruprights of the element above, which is to be superimposed and assembledwith the first element, while FIG. 2 shows on a slightly larger scalethe uprights on the left of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, recapitulating the means shown in FIG. 2, show themthis time in vertical and horizontal projection.

The reference numbers indicated in the following will denote the sameparts on two successive elements, but will be provided with the primeindex for those of the upper elements.

Each of the box uprights of square section, such as l, 2, 3, 4 (or 1,2', 3, 4, the upright 1 only being shown), is provided at each of itsends with a bridle 5 (or 5, see above) provided with two bores 6, 7 forthe passage of assemblage bolts, the said bridles being set back withrespect to the joint plane. These bridles with their bolts, which may ormay not be prestressed, serve for transmitting their longitudinalstresses to the uprights, that is to say, the stresses parallel to thearrow A of FIG. 2; as will be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, the bridles areplaced obliquely with respect to the sides of the section of the uprightand pass through this section. This arrangement may be modified byproviding two long ribs 8, 9 parallel to the axis of the upright andwelded respectively to the two faces of the upright which are turnedtowards the interior of the section of the element formed by the fouruprights. On each of the uprights, these ribs project with respect tothe joint plane (plane I J in FIG. 4) and are provided with a slightchamfer to facilitate fitting (see FIG. 4).

As is shown by FIGS. 3 and 5, the space 11 between the ribs 8, 9 of theupper end of an upright and the edge a of the upright which is insidethe section of the element is less by the thickness of at least one ribthan the corresponding space h between the ribs 8' and 9' of the lowerend of an upright and the corresponding edge a.

Since the sections of the elements are such that the edges a and a comein line with one another in the superposition of the elements, theabove-mentioned differences between the spaces h and h means that theribs projecting on the joint place come to lie side by side in thesuperposition of the uprights. This is to be seen in FIG. 4 and theposition of the ribs 8 and 9 of the lower upright is shown in FIG. 5.

The reciprocal fitting of the uprights thus ensured by the ribs absorbsthe transverse stresses indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 2.

Furthermore, the upper end of the uprights is welded to a plate 10 atright-angles to the edges of the uprights and closing the section of thelatter. The lower end of the uprights remaining free is supported duringassemblage on the plate 10 of the uprights below (FIG. 4). The saidplate 10 may project on the faces of the upright, externally of thesection of the element as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, but it is flushwith the two faces of the uprights which are inside the section of theelement permitting fitting by the ribs and bringing into alignment theedges a and a. The ribs are situated tangentially t the perimeter of thesaid plate.

Such an arrangement makes it possible, on the one hand, to insertautomatic guiding during assemblage of the upper and lower uprights and,on the other hand, to diminish gradually the section of the uprightstowards the top of the mast to take into account the reduction in theirload, while ensuring the support of the uprights upon one another bymeans of the plates 10.

The joint plane of two successive uprights is the plane marked J] inFIG. 4 or again the plane of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6, drawn in a joint plane, shows the four plates terminating attheir ends at the uprights of an element. The square cccc shown indashed lines is the section of the element situated below the plane ofthe drawing whose respective uprights occupy the squares a h c d, whilethe squareffff, drawn in chain lines, represents the section of theelement situated above the plane of the drawing, whose uprights bear onthe plates 10 and have the sections represented by the four squares u efg.

The bridles 5 and 5 are placed in a manner such that the axes of thebores 6, 7 and 6, 7' are in coincidence from one upright to the next,which involves a variation in the position of the bridles with respectto the section of the uprights when the said section itself varies. Thiswill be seen by camparison of FIGS. 3 and 5.

The ribs 8, 9, 8', 9' are used for fixing the crossbraces 11 and theties l2 connecting the uprights together. This fixing may be carried outin any appropriate manner. The drawing shows fixing by plates 13 weldedto the ends of the cross-braces or the ties and to the ribs, the latterbeing shaped to offer edges of suitable inclination such as l4, 14.

FIG. 7, 8 and 9 show a modified embodiment of the assemblage, differingfrom the previously described embodiment in that the bores 6, 7 and 6, 7for the passage of the assemblage bolts are no longer provided on abridle crossing the section of the elements, but rather are provided onsolid parts l5, 16, 15, 16 fixed to the external faces of the elements,preferably by welding between the ribs 8, 9 and gussets 17, 18, weldedto the external faces of the uprights. This arrangement is particularlyapplicable when the longitudinal stresses to be transmitted becomeconsiderable.

FIGS. 10 to 12 show a method of applying the invention to the assemblageof panels which are to form a tower.

FIG. 11, in which the four panels are represented in horizontalprojection, positioned opposite one another for assemblage, shows thateach panel comprises an upright I and two pairs ofhalfcross-braces Ila,11a; 11h, 11h, these pairs being situated in two perpendicular planespassing through the axis of the upright. The half cross-braces are fixedas described in the foregoing to terminal ribs of the uprights and areassembled together to form a triangle, it being possible to provideties, such as 12, at the apex of the said triangle.

For assembling the panels thus formed. the apex of each triangle ofcross-braces comprises a plate or sole 20 and 20', respectively, whichsoles are applied against one another during assemblage. These soles areprovided with holes 21, 21. in which bolts may be introduced for thussupporting the components of stresses exerted perpendicularly to thesaid soles.

Furthermore, the said soles include at their ends projections 22, 22'adapted to overlap during assemblage, such that the projections 22 ofone sole 20 hearing on the edge of the other sole 20 and vice versa sothat the projection 22' bears on the edge of the plate 20. Thisinterlocking enables the components of the stresses exerted parallel tothe soles to be absorbed and thus enables the shearing stresses on thebolts to be sup pressed.

The modification of FIGS. 14 to 16 differs from the preceding embodimentin that on each panel the crossbraces 11a extend over almost the entirewidth of the panel and only in one plane, such that assemblage iseffected against one upright.

It is furthermore apparent that the embodiments described are merelyexamples and that they can be modified by the substitution of technicalequivalents, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The alignment of the edges (1 a of the uprights, which are in theinterior of the superimposed elements, has the advantage of permittingsliding in the tower, from its base to its summit, an important elementfor raising the tower, as is the case in some types of telescopiccranes.

The invention is not, however, limited to this type of alignment of theinternal edges.

It would also be possible, without departing from the scope of theinvention, to construct the elements so that the external edges 0 (FIG.6) of the superimposed uprights would be aligned to make it possible toguide along the tower a height-increasing element embracing the tower.In this case, of course, the corresponding edges of the plates 10 shouldbe flush with the faces of the uprights.

It may also be necessary to align both the internaledges and theexternal edges in the case where the tower of the crane has to be ableto slide in a guide sheath (which may be a building in construction) andwhere it is desired in addition to provide an internal guide in thetower for raising the latter.

I claim:

1. A generally vertical mast structure designed for end-to-end assemblyof upright structural units on top of each other in mutual abuttingrelationship of the adjacent ends of two successive upright units,namely, the upper end of a first upright unit and the lower end of asecond upright unit positioned immediately above said first upright unitand extending upwardly, said first and second upright units beingfastened endwise to each other by associated bolting means which extendin a longitudinal direction with respect to said mast structure, whereinthe improvement comprises the combination of: an end plate fastened withan upright unit end and flanging the same, said end plate having:

i. a bearing face exposed to the adjacent end of the next successiveupright unit to be engaged thereby for abutment in said longitudinaldirection. and

ii. exposed peripheral sides extending in a transverse direction withrespect to said mast structure; and end ribs fastened with an uprightunit end and having exposed protruding borders which projectlongitudinally beyond said end plate at said peripheral sides thereofpast the adjacent end of the next vertically successive upright unit,said protruding borders of said end ribs positively engaging sidewisesaid next successive upright to abut the same against relativedisplacement in said transverse direction and taking up stresses in suchtransverse di rection whereby said bolting means is relieved from suchtranverse stresses.

2. Mast structure as in claim 1, wherein said end plate comprises atleast two adjacent rectilinear peripheral sides which are at an angle toeach other and connected at an angular corner point, and said end ribscomprise protruding borders which project beyond said end plate at bothsaid adjacent rectilinear sides thereof.

3. Mast structure as in claim 2, wherein said upright structural unitscomprise coextensive upright elemental struts each having at least twoadjacent planar outer faces which are at an angle to each other equal tothat of said rectilinear sides and which are connected at respectivestraight edges, said rectilinear peripheral sides of said end plate andsaid planar outer faces of said elemental struts being flush with eachother and coextensive, and said corner point of said end plate and saidstraight edges of said elemental struts being likewise colinear therebyforming together a smooth continuous dihedral rail which extends fromtop to bottom.

4. Mast structure as in claim 3, wherein each upright structural unitcomprises a plurality of like upright elemental struts forming cornerelements for said unit and provided with end plate and rib systems, andwherein said corner point of the respective end plates and said straightedges of respective elemental struts are directed towards the inside ofsaid upright structural unit whereby said unit comprises inwardlythereof as many Lil smooth continuous dihedral rails as it has uprightelemental struts.

5. Mast structure as in claim 4, wherein each upright structural unitfurther comprises bracing ties interconnecting said upright elementalstruts, said bracing ties bearing against buttress sections of said endribs spaced from said exposed protruding borders thereof.

6. Mast structure as in claim 2, wherein said first upright unitcomprises at said upper end thereof a pair of end ribs having exposedprotruding borders which project upwardly beyond said end plate at saidadjacent rectilinear peripheral sides thereof respectively, and saidsecond upright unit comprises likewise at said lower end thereof afurther pair of end ribs having exposed protruding borders which projectdownwardly beyond said end plate at said same rectilinear peripheralsides thereof, respectively, each rib of one pair of said ribs beingadjacent to a rib of the other pair of said ribs and associated with thesame rectilinear peripheral side of said end plate.

7. Mast structure as in claim 6, wherein each of said pairs of end ribsforms a dihedral of substantially the same angle as the angle betweensaid two adjacent rectilinear peripheral sides of said end plate.

8. Mast structure as in claim 6, wherein said end plate is fastened withsaid upper end of said first upright unit and has an upwardly exposedbearing surface engaged by said lower end of said second upright unit.

9. Mast structure as in claim 8, wherein said end plate hassubstantially horizontal rectilinear peripheral sides, and said end ribshave substantially vertical protruding borders associated with saidhorizontal sides. l l

1. A generally vertical mast structure designed for end-to-end assemblyof upright structural units on top of each other in mutual abuttingrelationship of the adjacent ends of two successive upright units,namely, the upper end of a first upright unit and the lower end of asecond upright unit positioned immediately above said first upright unitand extending upwardly, said first and second upright units beingfastened endwise to each other by associated bolting means which extendin a longitudinal direction with respect to said mast structure, whereinthe improvement comprises the combination of: an end plate fastened withan upright unit end and flanging the same, said end plate having: i. abearing face exposed to the adjacent end of the next successive uprightunit to be engaged thereby for abutment in said longitudinal direction,and ii. exposed peripheral sides extending in a transverse directionwith respect to said mast structure; and end ribs fastened with anupright unit end and having exposed protruding borders which projectlongitudinally beyond said end plate at said peripheral sides thereofpast the adjacent end of the next vertically successive upright unit,said protruding borders of said end ribs positively engaging sidewisesaid next successive upright to abut the same against relativedisplacement in said transverse direction and taking up stresses in suchtransverse direction whereby said bolting means is relieved from suchtranverse stresses.
 2. Mast structure as in claim 1, wherein said endplate comprises at least two adjacent rectilinear peripheral sides whichare at an angle to each other and connected at an angular corner point,and said end ribs comprise protruding borders which project beyond saidend plate at both said adjacent rectilinear sides thereof.
 3. Maststructure as in claim 2, wherein said upright structural units comprisEcoextensive upright elemental struts each having at least two adjacentplanar outer faces which are at an angle to each other equal to that ofsaid rectilinear sides and which are connected at respective straightedges, said rectilinear peripheral sides of said end plate and saidplanar outer faces of said elemental struts being flush with each otherand coextensive, and said corner point of said end plate and saidstraight edges of said elemental struts being likewise colinear therebyforming together a smooth continuous dihedral rail which extends fromtop to bottom.
 4. Mast structure as in claim 3, wherein each uprightstructural unit comprises a plurality of like upright elemental strutsforming corner elements for said unit and provided with end plate andrib systems, and wherein said corner point of the respective end platesand said straight edges of respective elemental struts are directedtowards the inside of said upright structural unit whereby said unitcomprises inwardly thereof as many smooth continuous dihedral rails asit has upright elemental struts.
 5. Mast structure as in claim 4,wherein each upright structural unit further comprises bracing tiesinterconnecting said upright elemental struts, said bracing ties bearingagainst buttress sections of said end ribs spaced from said exposedprotruding borders thereof.
 6. Mast structure as in claim 2, whereinsaid first upright unit comprises at said upper end thereof a pair ofend ribs having exposed protruding borders which project upwardly beyondsaid end plate at said adjacent rectilinear peripheral sides thereofrespectively, and said second upright unit comprises likewise at saidlower end thereof a further pair of end ribs having exposed protrudingborders which project downwardly beyond said end plate at said samerectilinear peripheral sides thereof, respectively, each rib of one pairof said ribs being adjacent to a rib of the other pair of said ribs andassociated with the same rectilinear peripheral side of said end plate.7. Mast structure as in claim 6, wherein each of said pairs of end ribsforms a dihedral of substantially the same angle as the angle betweensaid two adjacent rectilinear peripheral sides of said end plate. 8.Mast structure as in claim 6, wherein said end plate is fastened withsaid upper end of said first upright unit and has an upwardly exposedbearing surface engaged by said lower end of said second upright unit.9. Mast structure as in claim 8, wherein said end plate hassubstantially horizontal rectilinear peripheral sides, and said end ribshave substantially vertical protruding borders associated with saidhorizontal sides.